New Delhi: Malappuram MP and former union minister E Ahamed passed way in the wee hours of Wednesday.
The 78-year-old veteran MP was admitted to the Ram Manohar Lohia Hospital after he collapsed during the president's speech in Parliament on Tuesday.
His death was confirmed at 2.50 am on Wednesday. The mortal remains will be kept at his official residence here from 8 am to 12 pm for the public to pay homage. The body will be taken to Karipur by a special aircraft by 2 pm. The body will be kept at Haj House at Karipur and League House at Kozhikode for the public to pay homage in the evening. The burial will be held in Kannur on Thursday.
Hartal in Kannur
All-party hartal in Kannur Thursday, vehicles to be exempted. Schools in Malappuram district have been given a day-off Wednesday. However, no changes in exam schedules.
Ahamed's efforts will be remembered: Modi
Prime minister Narendra Modi Wednesday condoled the demise of MP and IUML leader E Ahamed and said his efforts for empowerment of the Muslim community will be remembered.
"Saddened by the demise of Mr. E Ahamed, a veteran political leader who served the nation with great diligence. My condolences," he tweeted.
PM Modi pays his final respects to E Ahamed.He said Ahamed devoted significant efforts towards Kerala's progress and his role in deepening India's ties with West Asia was notable.
Read: Gujarat or Kashmir, Ahamed never minced his words
A member of the Lok Sabha for more than 25 years and a member of the Kerala Legislative Assembly for 18 years, Ahamed was the president of the Indian Union Muslim League when he died.
Ahamed, the longest-serving Union minister from Kerala, was a key figure in India’s diplomatic relations with the Arab countries. He enjoyed cordial ties with the rulers of most West Asian countries. He was one of the few world leaders to be invited to the ritualistic washing of the Kaaba in Mecca during the Haj pilgrimage. He played an important role in facilitating the annual pilgrimage from India.
Born on April 29, 1938, into a merchant family in Kannur, Ahamed went to Brennan College in Thalassery and the Government Law College in Thiruvananthapuram. He cut his teeth in politics as the general secretary of the Muslim Students’ Federation in its early years.
He worked as a reporter for Chandrika, the Muslim League mouthpiece, when he was a student of Brennan College. He later joined the daily as a sub editor and rose up the ranks to be its executive director, a post he held until his death. A football fan, he also worked as a sports correspondent.
He practiced law in the district court in Thalassery and the Kerala High Court in Kochi. He made his debut into the Kerala Legislative Assembly in 1967, when he was elected from Kannur. He was later elected from Koduvally in 1977 and Thanoor in 1980, 1982 and 1987. He was chosen to be the industries minister in 1982.
He was the founder-chairman of the State Rural Development Board which was formed in 1971. He also served as the executive chairman of the Kerala Small-Scale Industries Development Corporation. He was elected the Kannur municipal chairman during 1981-83.
Ahamed was elected to the Lok Sabha from Manjeri for four consecutive terms starting 1991. In 2004, he shifted to Ponnani. After the constituency delimitation, he chose to contest from Malappuram, from where he was elected in 2009 and 2014.
He was appointed a minister of state for external affairs in the first UPA government. In 2009, he served as a minister of state for railways, external affairs and human resources.
He had represented India in the United Nations multiple times between 1991 and 2014. He wrote four books.
Ahamed is survived by daughter Dr Fousia Shershad (Dubai) and sons Ahamed Raeez (Muscat) and Nazeer Ahamed (United States). Dr Shershad Babu is his son-in-law and Nisham and Noushi his daughters-in-law. His wife Suhara died in a car accident in 1999.
He was the second son of Abdul Khader Hajee and Nafeeza Beevi.
